


Family

by MeganMoonlight



Category: Andromeda
Genre: Angst, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-31
Updated: 2012-01-31
Packaged: 2017-10-30 10:26:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/330717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeganMoonlight/pseuds/MeganMoonlight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He had no idea what had changed, if he was the one doing something wrong or if it was just some kind of phase.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Family

It wasn't hard to focus on working. To tell the truth it was Harper's favourite form of spending time lately, away from everybody else. Yes, okay, he actually would have preferred to spend some time with everybody else, doing whatever they were doing, but for some time now it was like they didn't even notice him.

He had no idea what had changed, if he was the one doing something wrong or if it was just some kind of phase. Some phase that would end soon and they would all be back to talking and laughing and Harper wouldn't feel like he was a fifth wheel. Because this feeling? Not cool. As far as he remembered he hadn't done anything to make them behave like that, or at least he didn't think so. He just knew that when he was here, working, the others were probably having fun, or eating, or talking. That just wasn't fair.

"Because somebody had to do all the work, and who always does it? Harper." He muttered to himself, shaking his head. "What's the problem with visiting me from time to time? It doesn't take a lot of time. After all 'Hi, Harper, how are you doing?' or 'What are you working on?' from time to time would have been enough, but no, everybody was too busy."

Or at least it seemed like they were. Trance still smiled brightly to everybody and it looked like her new found interest in telling jokes to anyone who would listen wasn't over just yet, but she was spending most of her time in her quarters when she didn't have anything to do. Though at least she managed to eat breakfast or lunch with him when she saw him.

Rev talked more with Dylan and Beka lately and even when he tried to talk with Harper it was always interrupted somehow. And anyway it was all about the advice rather than any actual chat when they both had different goals in mind. And well, even without Rev he knew he had to "Believe in people who are the closest to him.” But still, those people seemed to think differently at the moment. Even Beka and Dylan, when there wasn’t much else going on, were focused more on whatever was going on between them. Not that he wasn't happy for them, of course.

Rommie kept checking up on him a couple of times a day, quickly developing her small talk skills, but it was just Rommie for you. She was wonderful, but after the last problems with their heating system and after that with their weapons they felt more like official visits.

Tyr was... pretty much himself the whole time, so not many things had changed. Well, maybe besides the fact that now Tyr sometimes patted him on the arm, which for some reason always left Harper shocked.

"Well, at least they still speak to me in the morning."

He sighed and looked at the console of the computer, touching the keyboard slowly. He really could use somebody to talk to, about what bothered him. It really felt strange. He wasn't used to feeling like this. Maybe it was him. Could he just be jealous because they all had something to do? Even though they all had a right to do whatever they wanted with their time, it would be nice to be included in those plans, at least every once in a while.

"Yeah, right. Come on, Harper, focus on..."

"Talking to yourself, shorty?"

Harper quickly turned around. He managed to hit his elbow against the hard panel, which made him hiss in pain. He looked at Beka who was standing in the entrance, leaning against the wall, an amused smile on her face.

"Beka! Don't do that," he said, rubbing his elbow. "Sneaking up is my thing."

"I wasn't sneaking up. This time, anyway. I knocked. Three times. You weren't answering, so I let myself in." She replied as she sat down on the floor, right next to him. "What were you thinking about?"

Harper blinked a couple of times before getting back to fixing the panel. "Nothing. Just talking to keep myself entertained. Rommie has something else to do, so..." He shrugged and then added; "Better this than singing, right?"

Beka didn't seem to buy it. She just raised one eyebrow and moved closer to him so that their shoulders were touching.

"Harper, something is bothering you. What is it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Beka."

She sighed and it seemed like Harper wouldn't be able to hide anything anymore. There was no reason to keep anything from her anyway.

"Harper, you keep coming here, you don't even joke anymore when we meet, you're quiet, nobody knows what you're doing here." She started listing and Harper had to stop what he was doing to look at her, when she continued, "We worry, you know. I barely see you lately or talk to you and..."

"What?" he blinked, wondering if he'd heard that right. "I barely talk to you? Beka, I sit here fixing Andromeda because for the last few weeks nobody even bothered to ask how I am and when I try talking to any of you, you always have something better to do. 'Can you come later, I'm busy', was what I've heard the most." He snapped, annoyed and he surprised himself with how much better he felt after saying this. Even if he just snapped at Beka. He didn't remember the last time he'd done that.

Beka's expression made him feel like crap. She kept staring at him, looking so deep into his eyes that Harper just had to turn his head. He shouldn't have said anything. Maybe he could just shrug it off now, play it cool, like always? 

He really hated this look on Beka's face.

"You know what?" He said, trying to sound casual. "It doesn't matter. We all had a hard time lately and I guess I just got more sensitive or something, but I blame it on talking with Trance and Rev, so..."

"Harper, do you really feel like that?" She interrupted him and he forced himself not to look at her.

"It's nothing, Beka. I just keep overthinking everything and talk too much."

"You wouldn't say anything if you weren't thinking about it."

"You will just keep interrupting me, huh?"

"Harper, answer me," She said, in a softer tone this time and Harper sighed.

"I told you, it's fine, okay? We all need time for ourselves and all." He replied, finally, looking at the ground before turning his head to look at his friend. "It just would be nice not to feel excluded, you now?"

Beka's expression didn't show much, but Harper knew her enough to clearly recognize guilt in her eyes. It didn't make him feel any better. She just nodded once, probably more to herself than to him and got up from the floor, looking thoughtful. She put her hand on his shoulder, squeezing briefly. Right before she left the room, she turned her head to look at him once more.

"A lot has changed. But we care. We will always be family, you know that right?"

Harper looked at the fixed panel of the computer.

"I know."

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Round 09 of [Smallfandomfest](http://smallfandomfest.livejournal.com/) for the prompt Harper & Beka - _"Harper feels lonely. May be angsty, may be not, as long as Harper and Beka talk."_.   
>  Because I know how to write gen and friendship fics thank you very much - I just need some motivation :P Harper and Beka are one of my favourite male-female friendships ever, so when I saw this prompt I just couldn't help it, it was too hard to resist! Thanks so much to [Angelus2hot](http://angelus2hot.livejournal.com/) for help, encouraging me and inspiring to write for this fandom.
> 
> Also can be found **[*HERE*](http://megan-moonlight.livejournal.com/483312.html#cutid1)**


End file.
